Iienby j



(No Model.)

H. J. BANTAE AUTOMATIG BRAKE FOR VEHICLES.

P tented Apr. 6, 1886.

ihvrrnn Smarts Parent @l-FFM HEN-RY J. BANTA, OF LOGANSPORT, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC BRAKE FOR VEHICLES.

$LECIEIQATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 339,255, dated April 6, 1886.

Serial No. 178,563. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. BANTA, of the city of Logansport, in the county of Cass and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Brakes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in vehicle-brakes.

The object is to provide a brake particir larly adapted to two-horse vehicles, butwhich may with slight modifications be u ed with one-horse vehicles, in which the back-press ure of the team in going down hill will automatically set the brakes, and in connection therewith to provide improved means forholding the brakes off during the time that there is no set-back by the team, and means for preventing the set-back of the team from affecting the brake when it is desired to back, a further object being to provide an effective, inexpensive, and durable brake.

Vith these ends in view my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a top plan view of the tongue and front axle and wheels of a wagon,showing the brake and brake-operating mechanism in position for use; and Fig. 2 is a detached view of the brakebars, showing the device for holding the brake off when the team is not exerting back-pressure.

A represents the front axle, B the wheels, and C the tongue, of any ordinary two-horse vehicle. 7

To the under side of the tongue 0 is secured a cross-bar, D, to which, near its ends, are pivotally secured the brake-bars E. The bars E extend outwardly a trille beyond the faces of the wheels 13, and are provided on their edges toward the faces of the wheels with suitable brake-shoes of any approved construction; or the bars themselves may act as shoes, if so desired. The adjacent ends of the brakebars E are connected by a flat U shaped spring, F, as shown, the tension of the said spring being exerted in tending to draw the adjacent ends of the brake-bars E toward each other, and hence tending to hold them normally in a straight line transversely to the tongue. To the adjacent ends of the bars E are also secured the ends of the branches 7 of the brakeoperating chain or rod G. The two branches 9 unite with the single chain or rod G at a point a short distance in front of the brakebars, and the single part Gr leads forwardly toward the end of the tongue and extends up through aslot in the same on the face of a grooved pulley, H, loosely mounted on an axle extending transversely through the slot.

At the point where the chain G reaches the upper side ofthe tongue it (the chain) is provided with a ring, I, large enough to prevent the chain from drawing down through the slot in the tongue, and the portion of the chain G above the tongue is connected with the ring I by means of a snap-hook, i, or equivalent device, which will admit of its being readily attached and detached, and which will not render it liable to become accidentally detached.

The chain G terminates above the tongue in two branches, 9', the ends of which are pro Vided with snap-hooks or other convenient means for attaching them to the breechingring, side of belly-hand, or check-strap, or other portion of the harness, as may be found most expedient in practice.

The operation of the brake will be readily understood from the foregoing description.

As the team sets back, the chain or rod below the tongue, and hence the adjacent ends of the brake-bars is drawn forwardly and the brakeset against the face of the wheel. The greater the back-pressure the more tightly will the brakes be set, the team regulating theset of the brake without any trouble for the driver.

\Vhen it is desired to back the wagon without setting the brake, the hook i is detached from the ring 1,, and the brake thus rendered free from the action of the team.

I find it convenient, also, in some instances to lead the chain or rod G beneath the tongue rcarwardly from the point where the branches 9 connect therewith, over the front axle, and thence up the side of the body within convenient reach of the driver, providing it with two hooksone at its end and one a short distance therefromthe first for simply securing the end within reach, and the second for taking up slack suffic-ient to prevent the brakesfrom being acted upon when the team sets baclgthe back-pressure being in this case exerted upon the chain or rod G,and not on its branches 9.

It is evident that many slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the construction herein set forth; but,

Having pretty fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a vehicle, the combination, with the tongue and .a cross-bar secured thereto, of a pair of brake-bars pivotally secured to the crossbar, and a U shaped band-spring secured to and connecting the ends of the brake-bars, substantially as set forth.

2. In a'vehicle, the combination, with the crossbar, of a U-shaped band-spring con necting the ends of the brake-bars, a pulley journaled in the tongue, and a chain eXtend-.

ing through said pulley and connected with the brake-bars for automatically actuating the same, substantially as set forth.

3. In a. vehicle, the combination, with the tongue and a cross-bar secured thereto, of a pair of brake bars pivotall y secured to the crossbar, and a U-shapcd band spring secured to and connecting the ends of the brake-bars, and a rod or chain secured to the bars and connecting with the driver, whereby he may actuate the brakes, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY J. BANTA.

\Vitnesses:

CHARLES E. HALE, J. FRAIsE RICHIE. 

